LEDs, otherwise known as light-emitting diodes, power everything from Christmas lights to streetlights and refrigerator cases. But they’re quickly becoming the lighting source of choice for the grocery retail sector, too. This year Midwest grocery retailer Meijer is planning to outfit four supercenters entirely with LEDs from GE, while Publix, Whole Foods Market, and Target already use LED lights in their food cases. So what exactly is making LEDs so popular?

Less Electricity Used = Less Money Spent

At first, replacing a functional incandescent or fluorescent lighting system with LEDs can feel like a costly upgrade, but when viewed long-term, the savings completely overshadow the initial expense. At Meijer’s Beavercreek, Ohio location, LEDs installed inside and outside the store will be 30 percent more energy efficient and will last 50 percent longer than traditional lighting. The retailer anticipates saving more than a half million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually from this switch. Even greater savings are expected in the future as advances in LED technology lower the cost of individual lamps.

You Can Forget to Change the Light Bulb

LED bulbs’ longer lifespan means more than just reduced energy and lower costs. It also means less time spent changing bulbs and ordering new ones, and more time to engage with customers or optimize sales strategies. Furthermore, LEDs are solid and made without filament, so they are less resistant to breaking than incandescent bulbs.

Consumer Psychology 101

However, low-maintenance and savings aren’t the only factor drawing retailers to these versatile, energy-efficient bulbs. Store designers can manipulate LEDs to present store products in a more flattering, softer light, drawing customers to merchandise and produce. For example, designers can select warm LED lights to cast a rosier tone on fruits and vegetables, and bluer LED light to cast a cool hue for the freezer. The effect is more than just aesthetic: when installed, LEDs have been shown to increase sales by 12 percent.

A Flexible Solution

Unlike bulky or glaring traditional light bulbs, LEDs are small and flexible, perfect for highlighting products from unique angles. Tebo Store Fixtures’ Smart Shelf Lighting Solution, utilizes a strip of tiny, low-heat LEDs to subtly illuminate products from below and behind. Because they can be discretely and easily retrofitted to existing features, LED lighting systems are the ideal way to attract customers to store items.

A Healthier Planet

While the energy efficient qualities of LEDs mean lower overhead costs for stores, accountants aren’t the only ones endorsing LEDs. A 2013 study by the United States Energy Department demonstrated that LEDs are the best for lowering energy usage compared with compact fluorescent and incandescent lamps. The Energy Department even believes that LEDs have the potential to reduce general lighting usage by 50 percent by 2030.

To find out more about how your store can harness the power of LEDs, read about Tebo Store Fixtures’ Undershelf Lighting here.